Judas Priest’s Richie Faulkner ‘Stable and Resting’ After Emergency Heart Surgery

The news came across late Monday (Sept. 27) that Judas Priest were postponing the remaining dates of their current North American tour after guitarist Richie Faulkner was hospitalized with what was described as "major medical heart condition issues." Now Faulkner's significant other Mariah Lynch has offered an update on Faulkner's health via Instagram.

"Thank you to everyone for all your messages. I will try to get back to you as soon as I can," writes Mariah, adding, "Richie underwent major emergency heart surgery. He is stable & resting. If you know him, you know how tough & strong he is. So tough that he finished the show & kept the hair flips coming. There’s no one like him. We’d be lost without him." She added a picture with Richie and their daughter with the hashtag: #HotDad.

The iconic metal group was currently touring as part of their "50 Heavy Metal Years" trek that started earlier this month and was scheduled to run through a Nov. 5 finale in Hamilton, Ontario. So far, only the North American dates are affected. The band also has a European tour leg set to start in late January.

The band has also been working toward a new album with bassist Ian Hill suggesting earlier this month that they had "at least an album or two of new material."

You can keep up with the band's touring right here.